[efattah]

I have tried doing the raw plant food diet, as well as regular vegetarian, as well as paleolithic diet, faigin diet, and a 'standard' diet.

There is a famous and controversial book called 'Eat Right for your Blood Type.' The claim is that a vegetarian diet may or may not be suitable for you based on your blood type. While highly controversial, my experience has shown that some people thrive on vegetarian diets. Others will *never* thrive on them.

I for one do not thrive on vegetarian diets. However, having said that, I still have loads of options. One diet that worked well was 100% raw plant food for 2 weeks, followed by 2 weeks of a more normal diet including meat, and alternating.

On a raw plant food diet, I felt good for about 2 months, after which I deteriorated rapidly until I my body pretty much fell apart and collapsed after 8 months.

Laminar and I have both read Brendan Brazier's book (he is a local and also a friend of a friend). Laminar has followed Brazier's diet for periods. However it produces copious amounts of gas as it contains so many legumes.

Keep in mind that meat isn't just protein. It contains many nutrients not found in vegetables, include Carnitine, arachidonic acid and various obscure enzymes (especially when raw).

While adding whey protein isolate or yellow pea protein may help, these only give you the protein (as well as some other unique compounds), but still omit many of meat's nutrients.

I have also tried raw eggs, as well as raw meats. In particular, if you can find a source of raw game meats such as Caribou, then there is virtually no chance of contaminants. Cooked very rare or seared on the outside (blue on the inside), such high quality meat can be added VERY rarely to a vegetarian diet (perhaps once every 3 weeks). Even at that frequency it has the power to counter the meat abstinence effects for those people who can't thrive on pure vegetarian diets.

Organic beef can be pretty good. Keep in mind that supermarket beef may be worse in the higher grades. A friend worked at Costco and told me that the AAA grade of beef tenderloin is injected with trans fatty acid and other tenderizing compounds for 28 days. However the A grade is not (and is also less tender). Almost all supermarket meats are colorized.

Organic meats and/or game meats can avoid most of these problems.

The comment about methionine is very good. During the late stages of my raw food diet I started taking methionine in a desperate attempt to try to address the multitude of deficiencies I was developing.

One way or another, vegetarian diets are COMPLICATED. They require a far greater pro-action and knowledge of nutrition in order to thrive.